The Five Scarves - Dragonkin Ascension Part 5
by RaceProUK
Summary: (Book 2 of 3, Part 5 of 5) Team Lilac and the Shang Mu Army arrive to liberate Shang Tu and prevent the Jade Alliance taking the Elemental Crystals. But is it enough? And what price will be paid?
1. Chapter 1

The bass roar of the Holodragon echoes through the outskirts of Shang Tu, accompanied by the tenor bark of Carol's motorbike and the soprano scream of Maria's stolen sports bike; moments later, those same streets rumble as the army of Shang Mu rolls through. Buoyed by the sight of the Holodragon and the advancing army, the few remaining citizens of Shang Tu rally; those who are willing and able fall in with the advancing army, once again uniting under a common banner.

Two miles out from the Royal Palace, Kaede Himura is the first to spot the advancing liberators; she opens comms to Aquila. "Captain, bad news: seems someone went to get reinforcements."

"Excuse me a moment," Aquila requests. "Need to do some housekeeping."

After a brief period of silence, Kaede hears a single gunshot over the radio; her pulse spikes at the reminder of the price of failure.

"See what you can do to stall them, then fall back to the Palace," Aquila commands.

"I'll need assistance," Kaede replies. "Requesting Hayabusa."

"That is not possible," Aquila informs. "He is… unavailable."

Kaede shakes off the chill that runs up her spine. "Very well, sir; I'll do all I can," she assures; shutting down comms, she turns to her retinue. "Stall that army!" she commands; before the retinue can react, a piercing beam of pure blue energy rips up the tarmac around them and Kaede.

Kaede looks up and sees the Holodragon turning for another attack. "Change of plan: fall back to the Palace!"

With Kaede and her retinue forced into retreat, Lilac resumes her flight to the Palace. As she approaches her destination, she gets her first look at the size of the Jade forces; it's clear they have finally begun to break through the Palace defences. _Maria wasn't kidding about their numbers; maybe we should have called King Dail and asked him to send the Sky Battalion as well…_

"They have air support!" Kaede radios to Aquila.

Aquila turns his attention to the direction of Kaede's retreating patrol; he sees the Holodragon bearing down on his forces. "I see it," he hisses; switching channels, he hails Hideyoshi Takenaka. "Take down that holodragon!"

Lilac takes evasive action as a cluster of rockets heads straight for her. As she recovers, she finds Hideyoshi flying directly at her; she dives, trying to make him overshoot. But the trick doesn't work; Hideyoshi dives also, landing on the back of the Holodragon as it levels out again.

"Make this easy for yourself and surrender!" Hideyoshi demands.

"Not a chance!" Lilac retorts, turning to face the Kasai-dojo Grand Master.

"So, you're the world-famous Sash Lilac, 'saviour of Avalice'," Hideyoshi observes. "Impressive work; if the stories are even half true, your fame is well deserved."

"Then you know what I'm capable of."

"That is true. But you also had a lot of luck, something you will not have this time."

Hideyoshi charges, naginata low and forward, but Lilac doesn't counter the attack; instead, she pitches the Holodragon into a vicious roll, tipping Hideyoshi off-balance; he slips and falls; the Holodragon's claws tear through one of his wings; unable to maintain altitude, Hideyoshi lands heavily on a nearby rooftop.

"Who needs luck when you have Pangu?" Lilac smiles to herself as she flies around the rockets, heading for the Palace throne room.


	2. Chapter 2

As Lilac nears the throne room, Maria, Carol, and Milla approach the rearmost ranks of the Jade forces; realising the ranks are too thick to ride through, they pull into an alleyway to work out their next move.

"There's no way we're getting through that lot alive," Carol observes. "We need to find another way in."

"The Palace is on lockdown," Maria informs. "There's no way in from the ground."

"What about going through the sewers?" Milla suggests.

"Ew, icky!" Maria sticks her tongue out in disgust.

"It's also our best option," Carol observes. "Come on."

"OK," Maria sighs. "But you're paying my laundry bill!"

Finding a way into the sewers is easy; finding a safe place to stash the bikes proves more difficult. Not wishing to waste too much time, the girls instead seek out a larger entrance to the sewers; they find one a couple of miles away that empties into a storm drain.

Progress through the sewers is hampered by the need to navigate narrow walkways and footbridges; Maria is finding it very difficult to keep her stolen sports bike from falling over. Eventually, the inevitable happens; slowing for a particularly narrow section, Maria loses her balance and falls into the foetid water.

"Ew icky nasty smelly _get me outta here!_ " Maria splutters as she resurfaces.

Carol parks her bike; she and Milla leap to Maria's aid, pulling her up onto the walkway.

"Looks like you're on foot from here," Carol comments, desperately trying not to breathe through her nose; she pulls her scarf up as a rudimentary and somewhat ineffective air filter.

"I'd rather be on foot," Maria replies. "That bike was silly anyway." She takes a quick sniff of herself, recoiling at the stench. "Made me smell like poo."

"Come on," Carol urges. "We can't waste any more time."

Carol gets back on her bike; Milla joins her a moment later, Flutter Jumping around the sodden Maria. Carol then sets off; Maria waits a moment for her nausea to settle, shakes off as much sewer water as she can, then chases after the bike at top speed.

An hour later, Carol, Milla, and Maria find a way up into the Palace itself via a service hatch; unfortunately, it's too small to fit the bike through. At the top of the ladder, Carol opens the hatch; once she's made sure the coast is clear, she signals the other two to follow her into the Palace's boiler room.

"The lynx would be well advised not to swim in the sewers," a voice mocks from the shadows.

"Show your face, buddy!" Carol demands, crouching in a fighting stance; Maria draws her blades.

"My, you're a feisty one!" the voice continues; twin katana flash as they catch the light.

"Tsubaki Moto! I know it's you! Where's Hanna?" Maria demands, drawing her weapons.

"Safe," Tsubaki confirms. "In a manner of speaking."

"Tell me where she is or die!" Maria challenges.

"I'd put those blades away if you know what's good for you," a second voice advises; the girls spin round to see Ryoichi Nakano emerge from the shadows behind them.

"You think you scare us?" Carol retorts defiantly. "We sent an interplanetary warlord packing, and we'll do the same to you!"

"Carol Tea?" Tsubaki asks rhetorically. "That must mean the bitch is Milla Basset. Where's your dragon friend?"

"Like we're going to tell you!" Maria retorts, turning back to face Tsubaki.

"Captain, Team Lilac have infiltrated the Palace," Tsubaki radios to Aquila. "Ryoichi and I have cornered the molly and the bitch; permission to turn them into worm food?"

"You mean you haven't already?" Aquila asks.

"We have the lynx too," Tsubaki explains. "Thought you may want them alive."

"Couldn't care less," Aquila replies, terminating the connection.

"Music to my ears," Tsubaki grins malevolently, raising her katana, ready to kill.


	3. Chapter 3

"Good thing the Palace is on such a tight lockdown," Danny remarks; he and Sally have been up through the night, trying to track down and corner Serpentine and recover the Crystals. "No way could that snake have escaped with the Crystals."

"I hope you're right," Sally replies.

After a few minutes, Danny and Sally round the corner into one of the Palace's smaller halls; right in the centre is a modest hemp sack, just big enough to contain the Crystals.

"Surely it can't be that simple," Danny remarks.

"Why would Serpentine just abandon them like that?" Sally asks.

"To set a trap."

"But why would he waste time and effort doing that?"

"That's what worries me."

Signalling Sally to remain where she is, Danny slowly stalks into the room, remaining vigilant; he steps as lightly as possible, scanning the floor very carefully before each step. After an excruciatingly slow five minutes, Danny moves within reach of the sack. Drawing his hanbo, he prods the sack a few times; when nothing happens, he approaches properly and opens the sack.

"Well, _that_ was a waste of time," he sighs, emptying five worthless stones from the sack. "Come on, let's get back to-"

Danny pauses when he sees Sally limp and insensible in the arms of Kaede Himura; the pika's toxic lipstick can be seen on Sally's lips.

"Quite a find, this one," Kaede coos, her words dripping with menace. "Think I might just take her as my prize. Especially as the captain won't let me have your foxy friend."

"I won't let you take her!" Danny states defiantly.

"Of course you won't my dear," Kaede replies mockingly. "You'll fight me for her. That's how it goes in all those trashy romances, right? The brave knight, saving the damsel in distress? So cliché…"

"Cliché or not, you _will_ face me!" Danny declares.

"Fine, whatever," Kaede sighs. "And I guess the hedgehog can be the prize for the winner or something," she adds, casually dropping her victim; Sally lands heavily in a crumpled heap.

"You heartless bitch!" Danny spits.

"Oh, relax," Kaede sighs. "Your girlfriend's so blissed out right now I could hack off her limbs and pull out every single spine one-by-one, and she wouldn't even notice. The best thing? When she comes down, she'll be begging for more. They always do."

"You… you're unbelievable…"

"Oh, I know," Kaede grins, eyeing Danny hungrily. "Want to find out how it feels? All it takes is one little kiss…"

"I'd rather die."

Kaede draws her tekko-kagi, one in each hand. "That can be arranged," she growls.


	4. Chapter 4

Unaware of the peril facing her friends, Lilac arrives in the Palace main hall; she is surprised to find it totally empty, save for one occupant, a cybernetically-enhanced dragon.

"So it's true, you really do exist," Aquila observes. "And I thought you were just one among the many legends this mudball has bred."

"Captain Aquila Kawaguchi, I presume," Lilac states.

"The one and only," Aquila confirms, bowing low. "And you must be Sash Lilac, 'saviour of Avalice'."

"We did what we had to at a time of great need," Lilac states. "You're here for the Crystals."

"Of course."

"You won't get them."

"Water dragon, right?" Aquila asks; his tone is of genuine curiosity. "I'm a metal type myself. In more ways than one, thanks to these augmetics. I have Lord Arktivus Brevon to thank for that."

Lilac winces at the name of her mortal enemy. "I should have known you'd be an ally of his," she guesses, instinctively reaching for a hair whip.

"Ally?" Aquila laughs, a light, lilting laugh filled with amusement that takes Lilac by surprise. "Hardly; it was he who attacked my father's ship, killing him and leaving me crippled and dying. I seek the Crystals to power my revenge; judging by your post-traumatic tic there, I feel you would like a shot at revenge yourself. What did he do to you?"

"Severed my hair whips and sent thousands of volts through my whole body," Lilac answers quietly, her hair whips twitching spasmodically.

"Such senseless torture to subject someone so young to; reason alone for payback, I think you'll agree. And I can help you; together, we can wipe his existence from the galaxy! With the Elemental Crystals fuelling our powers, we'll render his entire fleet asunder!"

"A tempting offer, but one I must refuse. I have had a taste of that power; it is too much for one person to handle."

"Oh yes, Hanna Skarlett. I've heard a bit about her experiences with the Fire Crystal; such a shame she was too weak to handle it. But we're different, you and I. For we are dragonkin, and the Elemental Crystals are our technology; only we have the strength to control the power."

"They're dragon tech?"

"Did you not guess when you held the Water Crystal for the first time?"

"I was more concerned about helping someone who needed it."

"Join me, and you can help not just one, but billions!"

"I am not going to help you defeat Brevon, only for you to take his place!"

"You would forsake your own kind?"

"Never. And that is why I must stay here."

"You don't belong here; Avalice is not your home."

"I was born here, I grew up here, and all my friends are here. Avalice has always been, and will always be, my home."

Aquila sighs. "You're still so young and naïve… You'll feel different when you're older."

"I doubt it."

"If you insist. Guess I'll go get those Crystals now."

"I told you, you're not getting them."

"You don't want to fight me."

"I will if I have to."

"You won't win."

"I bested Brevon himself in hand-to-hand combat," Lilac states flatly, her hair whips twitching potently.

"You'll find me a far more formidable opponent," Aquila growls.


	5. Chapter 5

The clash of two Dragon Boosts shakes the entrance hall with its shockwave; Lilac and Aquila fly apart at speed, sliding across the now-cracked marble. Lilac is first to recover her footing; knowing her most powerful move is useless, she draws on her Red Scarf training instead.

Taking full advantage of the speed and agility that defeated Brevon, Lilac charges back into the mêlée. But Aquila is ready for her; while not as quick or agile, he is both stronger and more experienced, able to withstand Lilac's faster attacks and predict her slower, more powerful moves.

The dragonkin battle furiously for several minutes, neither giving any quarter, neither gaining any advantage. Lilac's youth allows her to keep the pace up; Aquila uses his augmetics to preserve his biological energy levels. But eventually, both combatants begin to tire; they break apart to catch their breath.

"You're good… fast… agile… you've had training," Aquila pants.

"Red Scarves… couple of years… won lots… of tournaments," Lilac explains.

"More than that… you have… natural ability."

"And those augs… impressive tech."

"If you join me… you could have the same… with the Water Crystal… make you unbeatable… best fighter in the _galaxy!_ "

"Not a chance… for two reasons. First… too much power for one person. Second… when you look this good… why ruin it?"

"Looks mean nothing."

"My looks are part of who I am… I refuse to alter them."

Aquila, his breathing almost back to normal, straightens from his fighting stance. "It's clear to me we're very evenly matched."

"We could fight until we drop, and we'd still achieve nothing," Lilac agrees, also standing straight.

"Classic stalemate situation."

"Looks that way."

"So… looks like I'll have to cheat." Aquila draws his pistol and aims it directly at Lilac's forehead.

"You'd really shoot me?" Lilac asks defiantly, standing her ground.

Aquila holsters his pistol. "No, I wouldn't; I will never murder my own kin. But I can do this!"

Aquila draws a second pistol and fires it directly at Lilac; the twin darts strike her in the stomach. Aquila holds the trigger down, sending rapid high-voltage pulses down the metal wires attached to the darts; Lilac falls to the ground, grimacing with convulsing pain as each pulse arcs through her muscles.

"I think that means I've won," Aquila states, locking the trigger in place and resting the taser on the floor. "Don't worry; the battery will run flat in about twenty minutes. Of course, by then, I'll be gone, Crystals in- Excuse me, got a call coming through; mind if I take it? No, of course you don't."

Aquila pauses to listen to the incoming message; once it's finished, he turns his attention back to Lilac. "Do you want to know what's more annoying than children trying to stop you from reclaiming your birth right? When someone else gets there first. Luckily for me, it's one of my pawns. So it looks like I win. Pass my thanks to the Magister for keeping the Crystals safe for me."

Aquila exits the room, leaving Lilac to convulse painfully on the cracked marble floor.


	6. Chapter 6

While Lilac and Aquila battle, Danny fights for the fate of Sally Flynn. The clash of hanbo on tekko-kagi echoes throughout the hall as Danny blocks Kaede's charge; slowly, Danny is pushed backwards by the relentless flurry of punches delivered by the pika.

Kaede suddenly switches tactic. She unleashes a low sweeping kick; Danny attempts to leap it, but is tipped off-balance and lands awkwardly. As he falls, he sweeps his hanbo at Kaede's other leg, catching her unawares; they both hit the ground hard.

Danny rolls away and onto his feet; with his hanbo in a thrust-grip, he charges the recovering Kaede. She is wise to the move however; she dodges the attack. The hanbo slips inside Kaede's tekko-kagi; with a sharp jerk, she wrenches the weapon from Danny's hands; it clatters across the floor.

Danny allows himself to overrun; he slides to a halt next to the stones. As Kaede stalks closer, Danny throws the stones at her; she deflects the first three, the fourth she dodges, and the fifth hits her in the face, breaking her nose.

" _You'll pay for that!_ " Kaede screeches, blood pouring from both nostrils; she charges at Danny full speed. He sidesteps and trips her up; she lands hard and slides across the floor. Danny wastes no time; snatching up the rope used to tie the sack closed, he quickly pins Kaede to the floor, holding her arms firmly behind her back; he forces her to drop her tekko-kagi, which he throws out of reach.

" _Tell me what you did to Sally!_ " Danny demands.

"Fine!" Kaede spits the blood from her mouth; she relaxes, knowing she can't escape Danny's grip. "It's a compound of my own design; it induces an intense euphoria. Think of the greatest feeling you've ever had; now multiply it by twenty, and you're not even halfway there."

" _What's the cure?_ "

"Cure?" Kaede laughs a soft yet menacing laugh. "There _is_ no cure! Why would you want one?"

"To limit the _damage_ you've done, that's why!"

"Oh, my poor, naïve badger," Kaede coos. "There is no danger; the drug is mostly harmless."

"Mostly?"

"You know as well as I do that no drug is ever _totally_ safe…"

"You… I'll deal with you properly later; right now, I have to check you haven't killed Sally." Danny quickly binds Kaede's wrists together, then stands up. "Get up." Kaede slowly rises to her feet, an act made tricky with her hands tied behind her back. "Walk in front; I don't want you out of my sight, not even for a second."

"Anything you say, _master_ ," Kaede flirts as she complies with Danny's demand.

"Shut it," Danny spits, following Kaede, watching her every move as she heads over to the insensible Sally. "On your knees," he commands when they reach her; as Kaede complies, Danny moves round opposite her.

"I've never been on _this_ side of a relationship before," Kaede smirks. "I kinda like it."

"One more word from you, and I'll silence you for good," Danny hisses; Kaede presses her lips tight shut and nods subserviently. Danny then proceeds to check Sally's vitals; her breathing is slightly erratic and her pulse is elevated, but she's in no immediate danger. "You're lucky this time, Kaede; looks like she'll-"

Kaede pounces on Danny, pinning him flat on his back. "You really need to improve your ropework," she smirks. "That was far too easy to escape from. And now I have you at _my_ mercy!" she grins hungrily.

"You wouldn't dare!" Danny challenges.

"Afraid of a little pleasure?" Kaede flirts, leaning in for a kiss; suddenly she pauses, listening intently to her radio. "Sorry loverboy," she sighs when the message ends, "but business calls, and I have to answer."

"Such a shame," Danny spits sarcastically.

"It is rather," Kaede sighs. "I'll leave you a parting gift though," she adds, kissing Danny briefly on the lips. "It's far from a full dose, but it'll be enough to make you beg for more."

Grinning triumphantly, Kaede stands, recovers her weapons, and leaves the room. Danny scrambles to his feet in an attempt to follow, but the drug takes hold too quickly; he falls to the floor as he slips into a mild delirium.


	7. Chapter 7

The ring of steel on steel fills the boiler room as Maria and Tsubaki duel while Carol and Milla keep Ryoichi occupied; the fight has been raging for several minutes.

"Help!" Maria cries out as Tsubaki uses her size and strength advantage to back Maria into a corner.

"Bit busy!" Carol replies, dodging a swing from Ryoichi; his weapon deflects off Milla's shield harmlessly. Taking advantage of the opening, Carol claws at Ryoichi's flank; her claws grind uselessly against his flak jacket. Ryoichi counters with his other tambo; it connects with the side of Carol's head, dazing her. With the wildcat temporarily out of action, Ryoichi turns his full attention to Milla, unleashing a relentless barrage against her shield; eventually, she cannot hold it any longer; the shield collapses.

With the shield gone, Ryoichi stops his attacks; he picks Milla up and tosses her in a nearby open storage crate, locking the lid closed before she can get out again. He turns just in time to see Carol charging directly at him; he blocks her furious clawing, and slowly begins to push her backwards.

The sound of a ninjato and a tanto clattering to the floor distracts them both. Maria has been disarmed, and Tsubaki is preparing for the killing blow; she pauses, apparently listening to her radio. Carol tries to take advantage of the distraction and lunges towards Tsubaki; as she leaps, Ryoichi grabs her tail. He pulls her hard to the ground and pins her there; Carol struggles, but cannot break free.

"Now?" Tsubaki asks over the radio; she takes her eyes off Maria as she listens to the reply. Maria makes to slip out of the corner; Tsubaki places the tip of a katana on Maria's neck; Maria freezes in place, not daring to move another inch.

"Are you getting the same order?" Ryoichi asks.

"It's been sent to all of us," Tsubaki replies. "We're pulling out and returning home. Immediately."

"What do we do with these two? We don't want them following us."

"Simple: make sure they can't."

Ryoichi strikes the back of Carol's head, knocking her out. With the wildcat out cold, Ryoichi bundles her into a large hemp sack and ties it shut; he then places the sack on top of the crate containing Milla. "There's another sack here if you want," he informs Tsubaki.

"I have a better idea for this one," Tsubaki grins; Maria whimpers in fear. "Oh, don't worry my dear, I won't kill you," Tsubaki soothes mockingly. "Not quickly, anyway."

Five minutes later in the next storage room, Maria is firmly bound to a sturdy chair, her arms behind her; she struggles in vain to break free.

"I'll take it from here," Tsubaki declares; with a nod, Ryoichi leaves.

"W-what are y-you g-going t-to do t-to m-me?" Maria stammers.

"A ninjato," Tsubaki replies, taking up Maria's sword. "Straight edge; lacks the elegance of a katana. And this particular example is really rather crude; the blade is poorly balanced, and it lacks that personal touch. Still, it's a serviceable weapon. And easily suited for the task I have in mind."

Maria's eyes widen in terror as she realises what Tsubaki is about to do; paralysed with helpless fear, she's unable to do anything other than whimper pitifully as Tsubaki lowers the tip of the ninjato.

"I don't know which is going to be worse," Tsubaki muses. "Dying by your own weapon, or dying knowing you failed those closest to you. Of course, for you, the difference is academic."

Tsubaki thrusts the full length of the blade through Maria's abdomen; Maria stiffens as her entire world becomes nothing but intense pain.

"No scream," Tsubaki sighs, backing away from the lynx, leaving the sword in place. "Shame. Still, few do."

Maria, quivering from the pain, raises her head. "Why?" she croaks.

"You got in our way," Tsubaki explains simply as she leaves Maria to die.


	8. Chapter 8

Outside the Palace, with the sun beginning to set, the Jade forces begin their withdrawal; as they retreat, the Shang Mu army presses forward, chasing the Jades out of Shang Tu entirely. And once the invading forces are completely driven out of Shang Tu, the Shang Mu army erupts in celebration.

Inside the Palace, the mood could not be more different.

The Magister enters the War Room. "How badly were we hit, General?"

"Very, Your Excellency," General Gong reports. "I can't give you a full report yet; I'm still waiting to hear from some units."

"Then tell me what you do know," the Magister requests.

"OK," Gong agrees. "But you're not gonna like it."

"I am prepared."

"A third of the city is either heavily damaged or in ruins; it'll take weeks to rebuild enough for the affected citizens to return."

"Set up refugee camps on the outskirts of the city to house them until they can be rehoused. Also contact Shang Mu and Shuigang for assistance."

"Of course, Your Excellency; I have already issued orders to that effect. But there's more."

"Then continue."

"The Elemental Crystals have been taken."

The Magister sighs deeply. "This is the second time this year we have let something precious be taken from us. What of Team Lilac and the Red Scarves that fought to defend us?"

"Team Lilac got off quite lightly; Lilac has some abdominal muscle damage, Carol sustained a concussion, and Milla has at worst some bruising and abrasions. All three will make full recoveries, of course; if all goes well, Lilac and Carol will be discharged from the infirmary in the morning."

"What about the Scarves?"

Gong sighs. "They were much harder hit, I'm afraid. Xander Lykos was delivered to a civilian hospital with multiple fractures and internal bleeding; the hospital stabilised his condition, and he is now being brought here to be treated in the Palace infirmary. Danny Brock initially appeared to be luckier, having sustained no significant injury; however, he did receive small dose of a very powerful recreational drug, a drug that was also given to Sally Flynn at a much higher dose. Danny will recover fully; I cannot say for certain if Sally will or not though. She will live, but what state she will be in mentally is uncertain."

"Such a promising young engineer… Make sure she gets the best treatment possible. Danny and Xander too. What about the other two?"

"Rob Stiil is MIA; Milla is assisting one of the search teams trying to find him and other MIAs. And Maria…"

"What about Maria?"

"She was found unconscious, bound to a chair, run through with her own ninjato. Even with the elixir, there's a chance she will not make it; her blood loss was very severe."

The Magister hangs his head and remains silent for a full minute.

"May the Ancients guide her to recovery," he prays.


	9. Epilogue

Midnight, two hundred miles from Shang Tu. Two figures stand beside a troop transport, waiting for their contact. A moment later, they hear the rumble of a second transport approaching; it parks in front of the waiting pair.

"Ah, Chika Ueno, I see you have something for me," Aquila greets as he steps out of the side hatch.

"Something and some _one_ , captain," Chika salutes, handing a small bag to Aquila.

"Mamushi," Aquila nods to the second figure as he takes the bag. "Or should I say Serpentine; there's no point maintaining these silly codenames anymore."

"I used the confusion of your invasion as a distraction, while I-" Serpentine starts.

"I'm not interested in how you got them, only that you got them," Aquila interrupts calmly, looking into the bag. "And get them you did," he smiles hungrily.

"As you ordered," Serpentine confirms.

"I'll handle things from here, Chika," Aquila informs. "Rejoin the fleet and return to the Kyuden. Your forces can return to Mizutani; they will no longer be required."

"As you wish, sir," Chika salutes; she clambers aboard her transport, which then sets off to rejoin the fleet.

"As for you, my viperid friend," Aquila continues, "how would you like to join me full-time?"

"Anything that gets me of this insipid planet," Serpentine agrees. "One condition: I want a new set of arms."

"Of course!" Aquila agrees. "What use is a commander without arms?"

Serpentine salutes, using his tail in lieu of an arm. "Commander Serpentine, at your service!"

"Excellent." Aquila closes the bag, and invites Serpentine to join him in his transport. "With the Elemental Crystals now in my rightful possession, I can finally achieve my vengeance on Brevon."

Aquila boards the transport behind Serpentine; once the hatch is closed, the transport sets off. Its destination: the Kakusareta Kyuden.


End file.
